From the steps of the Colorado Supreme Court, Rachel Pickrel-Hawkins told a rally last week that, "These women here — and countless women across our state and our country, worldwide — have been reaching out. We have a problem. This is an epidemic in abuse and injustice that must be stopped.” Across the state, children like hers were in danger because of forced family reunification therapy, she said. The process, meant to rebuild a parent-child relationship strained by separation or divorce, can be mandated by a family judge even when the child has accused a parent of abuse, reports the Washington Post. That was the case for Pickrel-Hawkins, who was joined by dozens of people — mostly mothers — urging Colorado courts to reevaluate how they handle child custody rulings, particularly family reunification therapy. The 48-year-old mother of six made headlines when she was jailed for contempt after opposing family reunification for her two youngest sons and their father, a former police sergeant who was charged July 29 with sexually assaulting three of their daughters and physically abusing one son.
Christopher Estoll, an attorney for Michael Hawkins, 55, said the accusations were “not supported by evidence” and characterized Pickrel-Hawkins as a “not credible” witness who manipulated the couple’s children. Hawkins, an Aurora, Colo., officer who in 2012 was hailed among the first responders to the deadly movie theater shooting in Aurora, remains free on bond. Pickrel-Hawkins, meanwhile, must report to weekend jail for seven weeks. Pickrel-Hawkins said parents like her who are mired in custody battles following relationships marked by alleged domestic violence are silenced — “by gag orders, by going to jail, silenced to say anything else or they’ll get less time with their children.” Since 2010, 30 children have been killed by abusive parents, with eight of those deaths in 2023 alone said Colorado state Rep. Meg Froelich. She hopes a letter to Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Monica Márquez signed by Colorado lawmakers and child-safety advocates will prompt the state’s family courts to embrace changes that include ensuring family court judges and family reunification counselors are trained to understand domestic violence and trauma.
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